GURUGRAM, — On Children’s Day, the District Administration, Gurugram, and the Raahgiri Foundation hosted “Our Air, Our Lives,” a powerful panel discussion dedicated to amplifying the voices of the city’s youngest citizens on the persistent public health crisis of air pollution. Held at the Museo Camera Centre for the Photographic Arts, the event brought together five child panelists, administrative leadership, and medical experts to underscore the human cost of environmental degradation.
The program successfully centered the children’s emotional plea as a demand for immediate, actionable policy. Students, some holding handmade placards, shared poignant personal testimonies about how toxic air restricts their health, education, and basic right to play outdoors. The event was inaugurated by Shri Ajay Kumar, IAS, DC Gurugram, and featured a medical perspective from Dr. Rachita Chopra, Thoracic Surgeon from Medanta. The powerful discussion was moderated by Jyoti Pande Lavakare, journalist and author of the book Breathing Here is Injurious to Your Health.
The young panelists delivered a unified message that the ongoing crisis is forcing unacceptable choices upon their daily routines and educational access.
Prince, 17, Young Content Creator and Marathon Runner, linked health to urban infrastructure demands:
Sneha, College Student from LSR, emphasized the policy vacuum:
“I wake up dreading my commute to college, knowing I’ll be exposed to this level of pollution for hours. We have to question the motivations behind why these problems persist. Addressing this environmental crisis must become our foremost political demand.”
Bismann Singh, 9th Grade, Heritage School, offered a nuanced perspective on farm fires:
“I feel suffocated and simply cannot breathe properly when the pollution peaks. While stubble burning absolutely should not be done, we must remember that farmers often lack alternatives. The government must provide them with the necessary resources and help before expecting compliance.”
Harshit, 5th Standard, Happy School, demanded aggressive ecological solutions:
“My solution is clear and simple: we should plant more trees—thousands of them! Stubble burning is hurting the farmers themselves before it hurts us, so it must stop. Planting and protection are the fastest ways to clean our air.”
Jyoti, Student from Literacy India, described the untenable dilemma facing students:
“My mother tells me not to go to school when I wake up because the pollution is too severe, but I have to study. What am I supposed to do? I never ask my family for firecrackers because I understand the environmental impact—we need the system to respect the environment as much as we do.”
Leadership, Health, and the Call for Systemic Change
Shri Ajay Kumar, IAS, DC Gurugram, acknowledged the existing policy gaps and affirmed the administrative commitment to action:
“CAQM is body has imposed restrictions on classes till 5, in a hybrid model, various activities are being carried out, there are gaps, and I know we have to improve capacity for enforcement and project management. NGOs and RWAs are coming forward, I’m sure collectively we will deal with this challenge. We are committed to strengthening the necessary policy frameworks to deliver it.”
Sarika Panda, Co-founder and Trustee, Raahgiri Foundation, and Director, Nagarro, underscored the urgency of translating advocacy into infrastructure:
“The children’s courage confirms that air quality is a human rights issue that demands engineering solutions. Our work on walkable streets and low-emission zones is directly aimed at tackling the vehicular pollution that prevents these children from having a healthy future.”
Dr. Rachita Chopra, Thoracic Surgeon from Medanta, issued a direct warning on the long-term health impact:
“When a school holds its sports day in 300 AQI, we are hurting our children, which can lead to neuroinflammation and long-term issues like ADHD. We must immediately recognize and treat this state of air quality as a health emergency.”
Aditya Arya, Founder of Museo Camera, spoke about the venue’s role in hosting the dialogue:
“We are honored to lend this cultural venue as a platform where children can voice their environmental concerns and connect their present reality with their historical right to a healthy life.”
The event concluded with a strong call to action for every resident to join the administration in enforcing policies and advocating for rapid, structural change toward achieving a fully breathable Gurugram.
